The Investigative person will usually find a particular area of science to be of interest. They are inclined toward intellectual and analytical activities and enjoy observation and theory. They may prefer thought to action, and enjoy the challenge of solving problems with clever technology. They will often follow the latest developments in their chosen field, and prefer mentally stimulating environments.

If you are looking for an excellent employment opportunity that offers stability, good potential, and plenty of professional challenge, consider the pharmaceutical industry.

If you are looking for an excellent employment opportunity that offers stability, good potential, and plenty of professional challenge, consider the pharmaceutical industry.

About Us...

BioPharmaChem Ireland is the biopharma, pharma and chemical sector association of Ibec. Representing our multinational and indigeneous members, we ensure Ireland remains the global centre of excellence for innovation and development. The sector is a strong contributor to the Irish economy. Recent capital investment of over €3 billion from global biotech companies has cemented Ireland as a leading location for the development and manufacture of biopharmaceuticals.

Our Vision is that Ireland will continue to enhance its reputation as a recognised centre of excellence for innovation and development in pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical and chemical supply, thereby remaining the location of choice for the launch of new products.

Our Mission is to influence, support and represent the sector in realising its ambition by bringing together all relevant stakeholders in the State, namely: industry, the government, the research community and the public at large, to effectively communicate the unique attractiveness of Ireland as a leading location for the supply and development of pharmaceutical products.

Why work in PharmaChemical industry?

The pharmaceutical industry is about discovering, developing, manufacturing and promoting medicines to improve people’s health and quality of life. This is a long process taking over 20 years from discovery to prescription involving a wide range of skills and talents from many individuals. There are many reasons to work in the pharmaceutical industry:

The pharmaceutical and chemical industry is a strong and vibrant sector.

The industry is highly advanced, continuously investing in the latest technology and state of the art equipment.

It’s a very sociable environment and many companies promote sports and social activities and charity events.

PharmaChemical Companies are committed to supporting education in the community. Many link with local schools, to help promote science and encourage young people to further their education.

The industry offers great career opportunities for employees. With the majority of the big multinational companies based in Ireland, Irish graduates have the unique opportunity to gain multinational experience right on their own door step.

Statistics from the CSO show that workers in the PharmaChemical industry earn on average almost 30% more than the national average.

By working in the industry, individual can use their talents and experience in an industry that creates opportunities to save and improve people lives around the world.

About this Sector...

Please give an overview of your sector?

The pharmaceutical and Biopharma industry is undoubtedly Ireland’s most valuable and most stable sector, attracting some of the world’s leading pharmaceutical companies.

Nine of the top 10 Pharmaceutical companies are located in Ireland

Five out of the top 12 selling drugs are produced in Ireland

Ireland has become the world’s largest net exporter of pharmaceuticals worldwide

€58 billion exported in 2014, accounting for over 50% of the total Irish exports

Contributing over €1 billion in corporation tax annually

Over 3 billion in new capital is currently been invested in Ireland

Employs over 55,000 both directly and indirectly

Over half of the employees are third level graduates

Employing approximately 25% of all PhD researchers currently employed in Irish industry

The dynamics of the industry are changing; Ireland is emerging as a leading location for biopharmaceutical companies due to the mix of start-ups, SME’S and large multinational companies located here. Industry leaders present in Ireland including Pfizer, Eli Lilly, Genzyme, Merck, Elan, and Allergan have all recently invested in Ireland. This investment has facilitated rapid growth and development of the Biopharma industry.

Not only does the pharmaceutical sector contribute to the Irish economy, it also contributes to the nation’s health and well being by improving quality of life and combating illness. The industry has helped improve life expectancy in Ireland by over a third in the last seventy years from 57 in 1925 to 79 today.

What is the size and scope of the sector?

The Irish pharmaceutical and biopharmaceutical industry is quietly and steadily undergoing a strong growth spurt, involving a number of new site builds as well as a number of significant expansions and the future looks very bright for a lot of students taking up associated STEM courses in this sector.

The industry provides excellent sustainable career opportunities and currently employs 25,300 people in Ireland, over half of which are third-level graduates compared to the national average of 24 per cent. In addition 24,500 people are employed providing services to the sector.

Not many people are aware that Ireland’s pharma industry currently generates over 50% of the country's exports. The industry exported products to the value of €58 billion in 2014 and contributes more than €1 billion in corporation tax to the Irish Exchequer annually.

For such a small country, Ireland punches well above its weight when it comes to pharmaceuticals and such a performance is sustaining our position as the largest net exporter of medicines in the world.

At present over 3 billion in new capital is currently been invested in Ireland, Creating over 3000 new jobs, plus the indirect jobs created during construction.

What are the current issues affecting this sector?

Companies have embraced the concepts of manufacturing and supply chain excellence, as well as those of on-site innovation, such as process and product development.

Irish sites have positioned themselves in discovery-related activities. This is possible only through the quality and capability of its people as well as the availability of appropriately trained graduates.

Ireland has a highly creative and very flexible workforce with an excellent ability to innovate and to lead.

In March 2015, the country posted its highest total exports in 13 years at just over €9 billion. Over 60% of this total came from the chemicals and allied products sector, that includespharmaceuticals biopharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients as well as chemicals - up 58% on 2014. This is clear evidence that the sector is entering a strong phase of a post-patent-cliff recovery, driven by over €3.5 billion worth of capital investment.

The recent expansion announcements by Alexion - €450 million and Mallinckrodt- €45 million both in the biologics space are the latest manifestation of this.

This positive environment presents huge opportunity for the industry and those who work in it, however there is seldom opportunity without challenge. The crystallising challenge for the sector is the emerging skills gaps - especially in the biological sector.

What changes are anticipated over the next 5 years

The Irish pharmaceutical and chemical sector was established in 1960 as a result of government policy at the time. Through the Industrial Development Authority (IDA Ireland), multinational pharmaceutical and chemical companies were encouraged to invest here.

Initial investments were primarily in bulk pharmaceuticals, now known as active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Over the course of the 1970s, investment began to gravitate towards drug product manufacture. The 1990s saw this trend continue, with many established sites reinvesting significantly and expanding into shared-service activities

The Next 5 Years ...

The sector will continue to move up the value chain; it is likely that the type of manufacture taking place in Ireland will continue to increase in relative value terms.

More companies will invest in process and product development in order to anchor their manufacturing plants; this will generate more opportunities for PhD scientists.

The general prognosis for the sector remains very positive in this country and it likely to provide rewarding career options for science graduates for many years to come.

Do you have any statistics relevant to the sector?

Exports

In 2014 the Irish pharmaceutical and chemical sector exported products to the value of 58b.

Ireland is the largest net exporter of Pharmaceuticals in the World.

Nine of the top 10 global companies are based in Ireland.

Very stable sector and are global leaders in Quality.

Ireland ranks 9th in the world for the level of high-tech exports as a percentage of manufacturing exports.

Education and skills

25,300 people are employed in the Irish pharmachem sector, approx. 50% of which are third-level graduates.

25% of all PhD researchers in Irish industry are employed in the sector.

Ireland’s educational systems ranks 9th in the world for higher education achievement.

Ireland ranks 4th globally for the availability of skilled labour and openness to new ideas.

Ireland’s labour market flexibility is ranked 9th in the world.

Not only does the pharmaceutical sector contribute to the Irish economy, it also contributes to the nation’s health and well being by improving quality of life and combating illness.

Impact

5 out of the top 12selling medicines manufactured in Ireland

In 1925 the life expectancy in Ireland was 57, today it is 79 and the number of deaths from heart disease and stroke has been halved as a result of medicines produced in Ireland

Today people in Ireland live longer, healthier and more active lives, in part, due to medical progress and pharmaceutical research and development.

Are there any areas in your sector currently experiencing skills shortages?

Shortages are emerging against the backdrop of recent investments and growth. If unaddressed, these could constrain future economic growth in the sector:

Biotechnology technicians; lesser availability of persons willing to work as lab technicians Most graduates at technician level (NFQ 6 / 7) stay in education to progress to higher qualifications; holders of NFQ 8 qualifications & above seek more challenging roles than those available at technician level

The industry in Ireland is going from strength to strength and ensuring a constant stream of science graduates at secondary, third and post graduate levels is paramount.

Expenditure in R&D is growing 10% year on year, so the continuing take-up of science in schools is critical to sustaining the country’s recent years promoting science and the results are startlingly evident with the increase in the number of students taking science subjects.

Career Opportunities...

What are the main occupations in this sector?

There are good reasons to consider careers in Ireland’s pharmaceutical sector. In addition to a wide diversity of career opportunities, statistics from the CSO show that workers in the sector earn on average almost 30% more than the national average.

The industry provides a stable and secure career environment for graduates to gain multinational experience right on their own doorstep and to participate in the global effort to improve and prolong people’s lives.

Ireland’s success in attracting biotechnology companies here adds another exciting dimension to the careers on offer. Biotechnology uses biological systems or cells to make or modify products that can be used as medicines, and will generate many more medicines in the future, many of which will be personalised for individual use. As the industry here moves towards being increasingly knowledge-led in all its activities, the prospects for employees and the economy are considerable and

The following list broad categories of activities in the industry outline some of the jobs and career opportunities currently available:

DISCOVERY

This is the starting point for a new medicine. Because many diseases still cannot yet be cured or because existing treatment may cause unwanted side effects, new medicines that work in different ways are constantly being sought.

Chemists, biologists, pharmacologists IT specialists and a variety of other science disciplines work in teams to try to identify chemical compounds which might eventually become a medicine.

DEVELOPMENT

Once a chemical compound has been found which could possibly work to treat the target disease, a variety of tests must be carried out to ensure that the compound can be made on a viable scale, formulated into a medicine and given to patients without causing them harm. This work takes several years and involves a variety of different people, mainly scientists and

Analytical Chemists,

Development Chemists, Process Chemists,

Pharmacists, Biologists, Validation Scientists,

Microbiologists, Product Development Scientists,

Process Development Scientists.

CLINICAL TRIALS

To ensure the medicine works safely and effectively, it is first tested on animals before moving on to ‘Phase One’ trials on human beings. At this stage doctors and scientists first determine the correct dose to give to human volunteers and then carry out controlled trialsin patients suffering from the disease.

Clinical Research

Specialist/Associates, Clinical Monitor, Clinical

Trials Specialist, Compliance Specialist, Laboratory

Technician, Documentation and Compliance

Scientist, Regulatory Affairs Officer/Manager,

Quality Assurance Specialist, Validation Specialist,

Quality and Compliance Specialist, Medical Scientist,

Formulation Scientist, Doctor, Nurse.

MANUFACTURING

Manufacturing the medicine involves making the chemical compound and then mixing it with other substances to make a tablet, cream or aerosol that enable patients to take it.

Safety and quality assurance is paramount, demanding constant vigilance and careful controls at every step.

Scientists, engineers, IT specialists and many others are involved in both.

JOBS HERE INCLUDE:

Process Development

Chemist, Quality Control Analysts/Supervisor,

Altana

ENGINEERING

Engineers do everything from designing and commissioning new machinery (and the buildings to house them) to operating and maintaining existing

JOBS HERE INCLUDE:

Process and Project Engineer,

Quality Assurance Systems Co-ordinator,

Chemical Engineer, Production Engineer,

Mechanical Engineer,

Physics

Laboratory Technician,

Validation Officer, Production Operator, Validation Engineer

PATENTING

Patenting medicines and preventing copying is vital to financing research and ensuring such investment is made in the future. The research-based industry relies heavily on patent protection to sustain the development of new effective medicines. Patenting is carried out by specialists working within the industry, bringing together law and science disciplines.

JOBS HERE INCLUDE:

Copyright and Intellectual Property Specialist, Lawyer, Pharmacist

REGULATORY AFFAIRS

Scientists in regulatory affairs draw together information on tests that have been carried out on the drug substance and use this information to apply for permission to carry out clinical trials and to market the medicine.

Pharmacists are crucial in every stage of drug into a suitable form for use, check the medicines’ stability, provide supplies for clinical trails and work with people from secondary manufacturing plants to ensure that formulation can be scaled up for volume production, and is appropriately packaged.

JOBS HERE INCLUDE:

Quality Control Chemist,

Pharmacist, Regulatory Affairs Specialist

SALES AND MARKETING

Researching and developing new medicines would not be unsustainable if doctors were not aware of new medicines and what they can do for patients, both by providing new solutions and improving existing ones. Medical sales representatives visit hospitals and GPs’ surgeries to inform doctors about the benefits of the new medicines their companies produce.

JOBS HERE INCLUDE:

Marketing Manager,

Medical Sales Representatives/Specialists,

Hospital Sales Representative/Specialist,

Communications Specialists

IT

The swift exchange and recording of information is critical throughout the development and manufacturing process, so IT has an increasingly critical role to play in every facet of medicine. The development of more customised medicines in the future that rely on patient information will increasingly rely on the work of IT professionals.

JOBS HERE INCLUDE:

Process/Systems Analyst,

Development Engineer, Validation engineer,

Application Support specialists, Project Managers,

Analyst Programmers

FINANCE

With the pharmaceutical industry’s investments and income running into the billions, effective accounting

and finance management is an exciting area. Ireland has seen a number of pharmaceutical companies add

their European financial operations to their activities here, creating opportunities at every level from

controls to banking.

HUMAN RESOURCES

HR supports the people behind the scientific work, helping to make the most of their talent and training.

In HR, you will find yourself recruiting for many different roles and developing the skills of a huge

range of people.

JOBS HERE INCLUDE:

HR Manager, HR generals, Recruitment consultants, Trainers

To find our more about these and other jobs visit:

What types of employment contracts are there?

Employment contracts range from permanent, temporary, part time, job sharing to fixed term.

What are the typical earnings of these occupations?

A graduate Chemist can expect to start on around €30,000 and a graduate Engineer on around €38,000.

Salaries increase quite rapidly as experience is acquired.

Most companies provide a good range of benefits, pension schemes etc.

Employment conditions tend to be excellent in most cases.

How do you get a job in this sector?

Contact your university careers office

Keep an eye on the newspapers

Contact employment agencies that specialise in the sector

Visit the websites of the major companies

Education and Training...

What qualifications are required?

The job you see yourself working in will determine the level of qualifications you need.

National Certificates will in most cases qualify the graduate to work as a Technician, preparing chemicals and helping the scientists in their day to day duties.

Ordinary degrees will allow you to work in quality control, ensuring the drug products produced are of a sufficiently high standard.

Honours degrees allow you to work in various roles throughout the plant from quality control to process development to research and development.

Masters and Doctorates will help a graduate rise quickly in the organisation. The graduate often comes into the organisation at the same level as an honours degree graduate but tends to get promotion easier, and often ends up as team leaders etc.

What are the typical routes into this sector?

The main route into the science sector is through third level courses. Every Institute of Technology and University has courses available in science so there is normally no problem getting into study a course to suit you.

Institutes of Technology offer the ladder system, where students can study for a four year degree in broken steps, giving them the option of taking years out rather than doing 4 years straight. University degrees are generally 3 or 4 year courses depending on the college your in. These courses are a straight run through these years, the ladder system does not apply.

Often there are options to transfer from course to course. If you don't get the points to get into a Institutes of Technology course, you could consider a PLC course. Many will allow entry to Institutes of Technology upon successful completion of the PLC course. Likewise, if it is unlikely that you will get the points to get into a university course, most Institutes of Technology national certificates will allow entry to a university course provided the courses are similar and the standard of grades are met.

Remember do not let the point system fool you. Science is science wherever you choose to study it. Points are not an indication in the slightest of how hard or easy a course is. In fact, many people who enter a course with low points find themselves dropping out when they discover that it wasn't as easy as they thought. You need to work hard no matter what course you are studying.

Global Opportunities...

Are there overseas opportunities available?

Most of the companies in this sector are global giants and have plants right throughout the world. Many people have moved from Irish plants to foreign plants for a period of time and then return home. Opportunities like this come up regularly and providing you have the right skills required, there is no reason why you cannot apply for a transfer to another country/plant.

Are there opportunities in this sector for non-Irish nationals?

Yes, the industry has a good record of employing non-nationals.

Advice...

What advice do you have for school leavers?

Since many jobs in the scientific sector require specialist qualifications, you should carefully consider your choices after you leave school if you are planning a career in science

There are a wide range of Third level science courses available both in Ireland and aboard. such as analytical, chemsitry, biotech or pharmaceutical science. The course content will differ so make sure you understand what will be involved.

The best way to find this out is to visit institution websites or ask your teacher and careers guidance councillor.

Where to study?

Details of the Science Courses on offer in Ireland are available here.

What advice do you have for graduates?

50% of employees in the industry are highly-trained graduates. Graduates often find it hard to enter the workplace straight after finishing their course, even those with doctorates. You will see many jobs advertised with experience required, which at this stage you do not have. However keep looking, there are plenty of jobs for graduates.

It is always worthwhile to go on and study for postgraduates degrees, masters and doctorates (PhD.), however, you will notice that initially, getting a job will still be tough. Once into the industry, however, people with post graduate qualifications tend to move up through the organisation much faster.

The key is to get 2-3 years under your belt once you find a position. Once you get to this level you will notice a wide range of oppoprtunities opening up for you. Grind it out for the first few years, it will be worth it!!

What advice do you have for career changers?

Changing careers is often a very dramatic move for people. Coming into a highly skilled workplace such as the PharmaChem sector, experience in technical roles such as IT and engineering can be ideal. People with such skills often find it easy to adapt as they are used to the high tech sector.

However, if you envisage a change of career you will need to upskill. A good stating point is springborad cources and pharamchem skillnet who offer free couse places to job seekers

There are always plenty of jobs in the area of quality control. This is a key area within the industry because if the utmost high standards are not maintained, peoples health is at risk.

To work in an area like this, a minimum of a national certificate is required. Once in this role, you may find other areas of the industry that will interest you and you may have the chance to move pending on your qualifications and experience.

What advice do you have for those wishing to go back to work?

The industry encourages people to return to the workforce.

Look at the compaines that are in your region.

Estalbish who is hiring and the skill types they are looking for.

Review your CV and establish what area you need to upskill or reskill in.

I was contacted by a recruitment consultant who described the role and enquired if I was interested. I expressed an interest and an interview was arranged. I was interviewed by HR and my current boss. It was a general interview exploring pharmaceutical experience to date, general interests etc.

I was invited to attend for a second interview, again with HR and my current boss. This was a more specific interview based on the star interview model (situation, task, action taken, result). I was presented with a number of situations (20-30) to describe what was the action I had taken and the outcome. Th recruitment consultant then arranged a medical test and reference check.and I was informed in a number of days that I had been successful and the company would like to make an offer. The company contacted me directly and made an offer. I had some extra requests and these were met. I accepted the role. The entire process took about two months.

Michael Bohane, QA Manager

My current job arose from a restructuring of the Quality Function within IVAX. I was a QA (Quality Assurance) analyst in the Inhalations business for three years when I applied for a Senior QA Officer role. I was interviewed and offered a role in the Solid Dose business. One of the key questions in the interview was 'what would you change'. The company was looking for new ideas. My manager called me into his office and told the company wanted to offer me a position telling me that my work ethic and ability to make hard decisions played a big part in their decision.

We are a small company and we need to be able to react quickly to survive in a challenging and competitive commercial environment. From a personal perspective this means constantly ensuring that all the team "are singing from the same hymn sheet" and that everyone is focused on fully realising the commercial opportunity which presents itself at the time.

This can be challenging particularly in a research based company where sometimes ruthless decisions have to made with respect to dropping certain lines of experimental investigation.

Brian Kelly, Science Entrepreneur

Main challenges in my role are:

Time management & people management - when managing a group of people there is always a variety of different needs and approaches. The team works best when all feel they can contribute in their way etc and this needs to be accommodated

Technical - I need to stay abreast with changes in the regulatory environment in Europe and US especially. The pharmaceutical are is highly automated and I need to be familiar with the manufacturing processes so any decision I make is sound and based on good science.

Michael Bohane, QA Manager

Keeping track of multiple projects and ensuring each is adequately resourced on any given day is the main challenge. Just because a project is due to start two months from now doesn't mean nothing needs to be done today. Also projects may encounter big hurdles which will pull resources from the group and this may have knock-on effects to other projects. That can be difficult to manage to ensure minimal delays occur elsewhere.

Fergus O'Connell, Quality Officer

Typical day...

My role can really be divided into two sections - R&D projects and manufacturing. Each day I have tasks relating to both sections of my role. I manage approx 30 people who have different responsibilities within each of these two sections of our company.

I spend time monitoring progress on the various projects that are ongoing at any one time. Each project has a time line that must be met to ensure the projects deliver products to the market on time to keep us competitive. My role would be to remove any compliance / regulatory roadblocks to the time line that may arise. I need to make decisions or suggestions that maintain the timeline and ensure product quality , safety and efficacy are maintained. We could have up to five development projects running at one time. A lot of time is taking up with project meetings to review progress etc.

We are also a manufacturing facility manufacturing product for up to 50 different markets. My group is responsible for the review and release of the product before shipment. Each day I meet the staff involved and review shipments for the week and any deviations that have occurred which might affect the product. I need to decide if the product is affected and needs to be rejected. If this is the case it must be reproted to the site and investigated to ensure it cannot happen again. We work to a shipment plan which must be met each week. We also have improvement projects to deliver each quarter which have to be managed.

Michael Bohane, QA Manager

My day in the office typically starts at about 08.30 and ends about 18.00 The activities of the day generally fall into one of 3 categories (i) Planning (ii) Reporting and (iii) Problem solving.

Typically the day involves lots of meetings - these can range from meetings with other members of the management team, to meeting with investors, existing and potential customers, lawyers, accountants and bank managers.

Generally speaking these meetings revolve around getting and providing updates on the progress of the Company compared against the objectives set out in the Company's business plan. Often times these meetings will inform the next iteration of the business plan itself and the strategies the Company must employ to achieve these objectives.

During busy periods I would often take work home in the evening and at weekends - but as I said earlier I am getting better at achieving a proper work/life balance.

Brian Kelly, Science Entrepreneur

My typical day starts with checking in on any projects currently ongoing (a lot can change since the previous day). Everyday is different in so far as each day will present different challenges or issues which require immediate attention.

My current role is overseeing the process validation group of the solid dose business. Project timelines can be anywhere from a few days to several months. Each one has key milestones which must be delivered on time or the whole project will be delayed.

A big challenge is to ensure I always know what needs to be done today in order to be able to do what needs to be done tomorrow. I am constantly looking out days, weeks and months ahead planning activities for the group.

Rewards don't happen every day but they do come. The pressures of the job are often high as projects deadlines don't move but that can sometimes work to your advantage. It helps focus the mind. Is it enjoyable? - on the whole yes. As one project ends you are already heavily involved in others so there is little time to relax. Most days involve a lot of meetings between which actions from those meetings need to be done.

Fergus O'Connell, Quality Officer

Further training...

I have partaken in a number of training programmes since taking on my current job including Performance Management, Conflict resolution, Lead Auditing, Internal auditing among others.

I am currently studying a Masters in Pharmaceutical Technology in Trinity College Dublin.

Fergus O'Connell, Quality Officer

My job involves me constantly learning. This is both in terms of formal courses (mostly day-long seminars etc) as well as informally as I build up experience through the daily carrying out of my job.

Brian Kelly, Science Entrepreneur

The QP course was undertaken through distance study while working in a previous role. I intend to study for an MBA within the next two years. The course will enable me to understand the business needs of the company and meet these requirements.

Michael Bohane, QA Manager

Advice if considering this job...

A broad science background is very important. An ability to recognise small inconsistencies is equally important. For example do you recognise small discrepancies between different camera shots of the same scene in films and TV series?

An ability to question everything and think laterally is important. Also the ability to say 'no' (not everyone is comfortable doing this). Working in quality is not about being popular and definitely not about being a tyrant but one needs to be approachable, consistent and have good interpersonal skills.

Not all of your decisions are going to be popular but they need to be based on a sound rationale and you need to be able to support them. One also needs to be acutely aware of the fact that your opinion won't always be right.

One must always be open to being convinced of an alternative argument.

Fergus O'Connell, Quality Officer

Be prepared for responsibility and the rewards and problems that come with responsibility. It is very important to be comfortable making decisions and living with them. While it is impossible to be right all of the time the majority of decisions you make have to be correct.

Michael Bohane, QA Manager

Go for it! But realise that its not going to be easy and things take time and there are LOTS of sacrifices to make. Also make sure you learn from your mistakes - because you will make them. It is really only a mistake if you don't learn from it.

Brian Kelly, Science Entrepreneur

The lifestyle...

My current job as a Senior Quality Officer affords me the ability to enjoy a reasonably high standard of living. I earn a good wage which allows me to live in a nice area, pay my mortgage, run my car etc while still leaving enough financial freedom to enjoy a nice social life and other activities. That said I'm not off on several holidays a year by any means. One a year is good going but with financial discipline, money can be put aside for it.

My job is reasonably flexible around my lifestyle as I no longer work shift. As a QA analyst (the job I held before I became a senior QA Officer) I was on four and three shift rotations. In such a role you're taking over from the previous shift and handing over to the next so the hours you are present on site are strictly controlled. On day shift as a senior QA officer if for some reason I need to leave a few minutes early on a given day I can come in early (with managements approval of course). I should mention that shift work can be very difficult at times and nobody I've ever met has had an easy time with it (especially night shifts).

My current role involves no shift work which is great for meeting up with friends and family. All said I have a good quality of life. Owing to the demands of my job for meeting my own deadlines and those of the people who report to me, it can be hard to switch off after work. Frequently I find myself thinking over issues from work while at home. As one rises in levels through a company I'm sure this becomes a more frequent thing and possibly even a necessary one at times.

Fergus O'Connell, Quality Officer

My current job as a Senior Quality Officer affords me the ability to enjoy a reasonably high standard of living. I earn a good wage which allows me to live in a nice area, pay my mortgage, run my car etc while still leaving enough financial freedom to enjoy a nice social life and other activities. That said I'm not off on several holidays a year by any means. One a year is good going but with financial discipline, money can be put aside for it.

My job is reasonably flexible around my lifestyle as I no longer work shift. As a QA analyst (the job I held before I became a senior QA Officer) I was on four and three shift rotations. In such a role you're taking over from the previous shift and handing over to the next so the hours you are present on site are strictly controlled. On day shift as a senior QA officer if for some reason I need to leave a few minutes early on a given day I can come in early (with managements approval of course). I should mention that shift work can be very difficult at times and nobody I've ever met has had an easy time with it (especially night shifts).

My current role involves no shift work which is great for meeting up with friends and family. All said I have a good quality of life. Owing to the demands of my job for meeting my own deadlines and those of the people who report to me, it can be hard to switch off after work. Frequently I find myself thinking over issues from work while at home. As one rises in levels through a company I'm sure this becomes a more frequent thing and possibly even a necessary one at times.

Fergus O'Connell, Quality Officer

My current role allows me to maintain a healthy work / life balance. I have a family with four children which takes up a large amount of time. I am active in a number of sports especially rugby and triathlon, also time consuming. I have progressed in my career satisfactorily so far but I would still have ambitions to progress further.

The company I currently work with encourages such ambition and allows people to seek responsibility and develop. It is important for a company to reward good / excellent performance and I am fortunate to work for such a company. Financial reward, while not being the most important aspect, is still important. My current role within the pharmaceutical industry pays well especially since I gained the Qualified Person qualification in 2001.

Michael Bohane, QA Manager

My job does allow me have a lifestyle I am happy with, although being honest I sometimes struggle with getting the work/life balance right - but I am getting better!

Starting a company can be stressful and frustrating at times but equally at other times it can be exhilarating and rewarding. The stresses arise particularly in the early stages of the company's development when there is no money coming in and you are living from week to week and wondering whether or not you will have enough money to pay yourself and your staff.

Work is often brought home and can constantly be on your mind and there is very little sense of job security. At times you become "married to the job"! Needless to say, this can also be stressful and frustrating for your nearest and dearest.

On the flip-side the rewards come in the shape of satisfaction at seeing something which at one stage was just an idea, becoming a real, tangible and viable company. Also, from the perspective of having studied a scientific discipline I find it enriching to be constantly exposed to a whole range of new experiences and learning a new skillset in the commercial arena.

Brian Kelly, Science Entrepreneur

Whats cool...

I like the fact that my job gets me involved with all aspects of the business - planning, purchasing, finance, engineering, human resources etc. It is this diversity of contacts which ensures that each day is different and interesting. I also like the pressure in my job. I'm never short of something to do.

Fergus O'Connell, Quality Officer

Getting problems solved and corrective actions implemented so I am confident I will never see the issue again.
Managing a group of people and seeing the group succeed in achieving its objective

Michael Bohane, QA Manager

The coolest thing is working with such a fantastic, hard-working, enthusiastic, energetic and intelligent team. We are a small company, based in Ireland and we are performing truly world-class research which will have a significant positive impact on the bottom line of many of the major pharmaceutical companies who we list as our customers.

Another cool thing is the nature of the work we do constantly changes in that we are always working on new projects with new customers which keep us challenged and excited.

Brian Kelly, Science Entrepreneur

Not so cool...

Budget control. In the pharmaceutical industry the financial aspect of running the dept is very important and all spend has to be controlled. Budget compliance is reviewed monthly with the finance group and this can be quite tiring having to justify spend to non-science people whose sole focus is bottom line (which they need to be of course).

Michael Bohane, QA Manager

Changing timelines place additional pressures on the group. Sometimes this is necessary from a business perspective. Validation project deadlines can be pulled in a few days or weeks (sometimes at short notice) and so all the activities of the validation group need to be reassessed to meet the new date.

There can be an expectation that the group just has to figure out a way to get it done ("nothing is ever impossible to the guy who doesn't have to do it himself"). Somehow we always manage to get it done albeit with additional stress but that's one of the aspects I like about my job.

Fergus O'Connell, Quality Officer

For me personally, the long hours sometimes take their toll - I need to constantly remind myself to get the work-life balance correct.